Man arrested on suspicion of pimping at two Clovis massage parlors
A tip to detectives about possible human trafficking and prostitution at two Clovis massage parlors led to the arrest Thursday of a Fresno man on suspicion of pimping.
Xin Hua Cai, 52, was booked into the Fresno County Jail after investigators determined that he was the owner of two massage businesses – both located near Clovis’ Sierra Vista Mall along Shaw Avenue – where female employees were engaging in sexual activity, said Clovis Police Sgt. Jim Munro. Investigators said Cai was arrested for pimping because he allegedly “was aware of what was going on and was recruiting employees to engage in those (prostitution) activities.”
The businesses were Yang Foot Massage, in a shopping center at the northwest corner of Shaw and Clovis avenues, and Candy Massage at the northwest corner of Shaw and Sunnyside avenues.
“We get various tips on massage parlors in the city at various times about inappropriate things being suggested or taking place,” Munro said. “In this one, detectives determined that these two massage parlors were engaged in that type of activity.”
One woman who worked at one of the businesses was arrested early on in the investigation, Munro said. “Everyone involved in this case was an adult, so there was nothing underage going on,” he added.
Police learned that Cai also owned a third massage parlor in Fresno that is now out of business.
Munro said that tips have also led to investigations that resulted in arrests in some earlier massage parlor cases in Clovis. While police consider prostitution and human trafficking to be serious and dangerous offenses, “we don’t consider massage parlors to be a widespread, major problem” in the city.
Pimping is a felony under California law and can be punishable with a prison term of three to six years.
Munro said that anyone who has information about possible prostitution activity at massage parlors in Clovis can report it to the Clovis Police Department through private message on the department’s Facebook page or Twitter page, by calling the department’s crime tip line at 559-324-2459, or remain anonymous using the Clovis Police mobile app or calling Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP.
This story was originally published January 31, 2020 at 4:22 PM.
